the electoral process and direct demcracy

The electoral process and direct democracy

The US electoral process operates in the context of the followng constitutioal provisions:

- a federal structure with different layers of government

-a seperation of powers with different branches of government

-fixed terms of office for all elected positions

These can only be changed in constitutional ammendment. The system results in permanent campaigns and a sense of democratic overload with more than 100,000 elections taking place annually in over 80,000 units of governmen, for a wide range of posts from president to the local dog catcher

in the usa the candiates for office are not chosen by the partes but by coters in primaries and caucuses. This is the nomination process whch takes place every 4 years for the presidential…